MAN FOR SENTENCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 40, 16 August 1937, Page 11

MAN FOR SENTENCE

BREAKING AND ENTERING

Charges of -breaking ■ and enteiing and theft, were made against Petei McNicol. a baker and labourer, aged 24 in the Magistrate's Court at Petone today. After the hearing of evidence he pleaded guilty and was committed to the Supreme Court at Wellington for sentence. Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., was on the Bench. Detective F. N. Robinson prosecuted. The charges against McNicol were of breaking and entering the counting house of the De Luxe Theatre, Lower Hutt,. and stealing about 3s, breaking and entering by- day the, dw.eUinghouse■■'of Vatala Gieson. 109 Woburn Road, Lower Hutt,'and stealing a gold tiki with gold chain attached, valued at £3, breaking and entering by day the dwelling-house of N. E. Hutchin "s. 9 Penrose Street, Lower Hutt, and stealing about£3 19s in money, a suit of clothes, an attache case, a post office savings bank book, and a cheque for £5, of a total value of £14 11s 6d. and breaking and entering by day the dwelling-house of Hugh Fraser Ayson, 158 Woburn Road; Lower Hutt, and stealing an overcoat valued at £7. McNicol was charged with failing to comply with the terms of his release on probation and on this charge and also on a charge of breaking and entering the dwelling-house of Harry Riley, 28 Watt Street, Wellington, with -intent to commit theft, he was remanded to appear at Wellington tomorrow.

In the case concerning the De Luxe Theatre, the caretaker, John Montague Ellims, stated that when he arrived at the theatre in 'the morning of August 6 he found blood spots leading from the ticket box to the ladies' cloakroom. In the ladies' cloakroom he found a little crowbar and a glove. He then went into the office, where things were in great disorder. The safe was in the middle of the floor upside down, and there was a jagged hole in the bottom. A pair of tin snips was alongside the safe. Blood was everywhere about the office. Two doors on the north side of the theatre- were open and there was an opening in the men's lavatory a,t ths rear of the theatre big enough to allow an ordinary-sized man to get through.

Detective Robinson said that when interviewed on August 9 the accused made a statement in which he said that he entered the De Luxe Theatre about midnight on August 5 through a small opening in the roof of the men's lavatory. He had cut his thumb before arriving at the theatre, and after working at the safe for some time gave up the idea of trying to open it. He took 3s from the office drawer. He left the theatre by the side door at 6 a.m. and walked to the residence of Dr. Donald in Cuba Street, Petone, where he had four stitches put in his hand.